In the 1975 World Cup, Sunil Gavaskar famously batted a full 60 overs for 36 not out, because he did not believe he could win. So much for evolution. In the space of a week of interminable boredom, Sri Lanka's batsmen have plunged the game back into the dark ages. To make matters worse, Sri Lanka's God-awful go-slows in this VB Series have been aided and abetted by the tournament rules. At least Gavaskar had naivety as an excuse. The bonus point – revised and updated from the one that scuppered Australia last season – has sucked every last iota of interest out of these qualifying matches, and it must be abolished forthwith.

One-day cricket should a playground for free spirits, as the Sri Lankans themselves demonstrated in the 1996 World Cup. Instead it is being ravished by this entertainment tax, whose sole purpose is to ensure that, in seven matches' time, England and Sri Lanka are still vying for the right to be crushed in the final. If Sri Lanka are so convinced of their inability to win, why can't they at least have some fun in the meantime? You never know, they might just surprise themselves … Andrew Miller

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